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Lawyers Warn Many More Trapped In “Property Prison”



Lawyers have been appointed to represent more than 40 flat owners in a multi-million-pound fraud claim in the High Court after an alleged failure to identify extensive defects and fire risks during the construction of their block.


Milners Solicitors, headquartered in Leeds, is now warning that there is likely to be a significant number of leaseholders trapped in a “property prison” in similar buildings across the UK, with their homes also now unsellable.


Acting on behalf of 44 leaseholders, living in 32 apartments, Milners has filed a fraud claim against Zurich Insurance in the High Court.


The group action is accusing the firm of issuing 10-year home warranties despite not inspecting their properties – and seeking a compensation award potentially in excess of £5m.


At the centre of the legal dispute is the high-rise Aurora apartment block on Swansea seafront – built by York-based Persimmon Homes almost 20 years ago – where the purchase of their dream flat quickly turned into a nightmare for its residents.


Martin Scott, who specialises in complex High Court construction and engineering disputes, said the safety of high-rise apartment blocks was still in sharp focus following the Grenfell Tower fire disaster.


He said:

"Sadly, we know that Aurora residents are not alone in having to live in such financially devastating circumstances, which one client described to me as like ‘having a noose around her neck’."

“There are leaseholders in many other parts of the country who are enduring a similar story with structurally defective flats not being adequately inspected and now being forced to turn to the courts for financial redress.”


He added:

“The reality is, if you’re an owner-occupier of one of these apartments, like the 44 clients we represent, you’re living in a mortgage cage or a property prison which you can’t get out of."

“You can’t re-mortgage because nobody will touch you where there are fire issues, and you can’t sell because there’s no market, or a very limited market where cash buyers are prepared to take the risk. "


“And the truth is, a property purchase is the biggest purchase any ordinary person will make in their lives, so if that goes wrong, then their life goes wrong. So you’ve got to find a fix, or you have to be able to recover compensation for them to be able to move on.”


Residents at the Aurora development claim Zurich surveyors bypassed their own electronic inspection system to issue handwritten cover notes as proof of their insurance policy.


They said if they had realised their cover notes were issued in this way and without final inspections, they would not have completed the purchase of their apartments.


As well as problems with water ingress, residents claim that fire doors and fire breaks between apartments were inadequate. Milners operates a network of offices, including Leeds, Harrogate, Malton and Darlington.


Photo: Milners’ solicitor Martin Scott, who specialises in complex High Court construction and engineering disputes.

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Small business owners across the UK are facing a harsh reality – many are too overworked and financially stretched to take a much-needed holiday, potentially pushing themselves to the brink of burnout. According to new research from InsureandGo, a significant portion of the UK’s 5.51 million small business owners are missing out on holidays to keep their businesses running, highlighting the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

At a time when Novuna Business Finance data reveals that the percentage of small businesses predicting growth for the three months ahead has fallen back to 33% - with 82% claiming business worries keep them awake at night – the new InsureandGo research explored whether small business owners were able to look after their health and wellbeing by having decent family breaks or a holiday abroad.

The InsureandGo data found that more than one in three (35%) entrepreneurs have not been able to take a proper two-week holiday, citing financial constraints and operational challenges as major barriers. Even a short escape is a luxury for many. A staggering 18% of small business owners admitted they haven’t taken an overseas holiday for years, while nearly one in four (24%) opt for shorter breaks, squeezing in a long weekend or a quick city trip to minimise time away from work.


Even staying within the UK doesn’t seem to ease the pressure, with some feeling they must remain constantly available, 15% of business owners choosing to holiday in the UK so they can return to work quickly if needed. Shockingly, 7% don’t take holidays at all—sending their families away while they remain at home to oversee business operations.


The top reasons why so many entrepreneurs feel unable to step away from their work:


  • 43% say they simply can’t afford the financial hit of taking two weeks off.

  • 24% admit they wouldn’t be able to fully switch off, expecting to be contacted about work issues.

  • 22% feel even more stressed about their business when they are away than when they are working.

  • 21% worry about the risk of illness or injury that could take them out of action for an extended period.

  • 14% believe there is no one capable of managing their business in their absence.


Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs at InsureandGo commented: "Small business owners are the backbone of the UK economy, but outside work they are parents and partners like everyone else – and it is great concern that business pressures seem to be preventing them from enjoying holidays with their families."

“Our research suggests many small business owners could be running on empty, sacrificing their own well-being for the sake of their businesses – and this is not sustainable. Taking time away from work is not just beneficial for well-being, it’s also important for long-term business success."

At InsureandGo, we understand the value of a truly stress-free holiday to helping manage a healthy work-life balance – and we work hard to make it easy for customers to get the right cover so they can go abroad without the doubt, knowing they’re protected while they’re away.”

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